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Voluntary Copyright Registration System

Copyright protection arises automatically once an original literary or artistic work is recorded in material form, for example in audio or print. Registration of a work is not required for protection. Creators are free however, to choose several means to provide themselves with proof of authorship of their work, that is, evidence that they are the creator of the work protected under copyright.

Some options include:

Legal Deposit

Several categories of published Jamaican works are required by law to be deposited with the National Library of Jamaica for archival purposes.

Self-registration

Mailing a copy of the work to yourself in a sealed envelope through the registered mail service at a post office

Voluntary Copyright Registration System at JIPO

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) operates for a minimal fee, a digitized storehouse of original works. A registration certificate is issued upon a registration and is a prima facie link between the claim of authorship and the protected work.